Ryan Braun was suspended 65 games last season for his involvement with Biogenesis. / Jorge. L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports

by Jorge L. Ortiz, USATODAY

by Jorge L. Ortiz, USATODAY

PHOENIX â?? The questions varied, but Ryan Braun's message remained the same: "I made a mistake.''

In his first meeting with the national news media since being suspended 65 games in July for violating baseball's drug policy, the 2011 NL MVP stayed on point and accepted blame but declined to offer specifics about his actions, saying he had already addressed the topic.

Why would he become involved with performance-enhancing drugs? Had he used them other times? Why did he accept the suspension?

"The best answer I can give you is that I made a mistake,'' said Braun, a five-time All-Star. "I've said multiple times that I wish I had the ability to go back, to change things, do things differently, but unfortunately I don't have that opportunity.''

It was a starkly different attitude than the one Braun displayed at a spring training news conference two years ago, when he defiantly denied any steroid use, called baseball's drug program "fatally flawed'' and questioned the work of the test collector.

Braun had tested positive for synthetic testosterone during the 2011 postseason but beat the rap on a procedural matter after appealing his case to an arbitrator, who was later fired.

On Thursday, his first day at Brewers camp, Braun said he regretted how he handled the matter and acknowledged he tested positive in 2011.

"I wish I hadn't done the press conference,'' said Braun, 30. "I wish I had known then what I know now. If I had, I certainly wouldn't have done it at all. Different tone today than it was that day.''

Though surrounded by suspicions and often jeered on the road, Braun had another big season in 2012, setting a career high with 41 homers, driving in 112 runs and finishing second in the MVP race.

Last year, though, MLB's investigation into the Biogenesis drug scandal revealed Braun's direct links to the anti-aging clinic, which served as a front for distributing PEDs to athletes.

Cornered and hurt â?? he had missed a month with a thumb injury â?? Braun finally gave in and took his suspension, which was 15 games longer than baseball's joint drug policy prescribes for a first-time offense.

"Ultimately I accepted a suspension because of the mistake that I made,'' Braun said. "I made a mistake. I deserved to be suspended. I took full responsibility for my actions.''

Braun has taken steps to restore his standing with Brewers fans, including calling season-ticket holders to apologize.

Catcher Jonathan Lucroy said the reaction to Braun at the team's fan fest in January was highly supportive, and that his teammates are behind him as well. Braun can expect a much more hostile reception on the road, though.

"The only residual is going to be with the fans. There's no animosity in here,'' Lucroy said. "(The fans) are probably going to boo him, but then they booed him last year too, and the year before. Kind of used to it now.''